Method of preparing a shoe for lasting



March 5, 1963 J. S. KAMBORIAN METHOD OF PREPARING A SHOE FOR LASTING Filed Sept 14, 1961 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 E2 Ii; /00

INVENTOR. Jacob S. Kamborlan FIG.- I

M n ATTY March 5, 1963 J. s. KAMBORIAN 3,079,618

METHOD OF PREPARING A SHOE FOR LASTING Filed Sept. 14, 1961 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIG. 3

March 5, 1963 J. 5. KAMBORIAN METHOD OF PREPARING A SHOE FOR ms'rmc;

Filed Sept. 14, 1961 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 March 5, 1963 J. s. KAMBORIAN 3,

METHOD OF PREPARING A SHOE FOR LASTING Filed Sept. 14, 1961 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 50 m0) 42 FIG-ll 0 El ET 58 United States Patent 3,G79,618 lvl'ETHfil) 6F PREFAWG A SHQE FGR LASTING .iacob S. Kainborian, 133 Forest Ave, West Newton, Mass. Filed Sept. 14, 1961, Ser. No. 138,135 3 Claims. (til. 12-142) This invention relat s to a method of applying steam to a shoe upper and depositing cement on the shoe insole prior to lasting the shoe in an apparatus such as that disclosed in pending application Serial No. 100,979, filed April 5, 196i. in the lasting machine, cement is deposited in the angle formed between the lasting margin of shoe upper and the shoe insole and wipers are moved across the insole to wipe the lasting margin upon the insole and adhesively bond the upper to the insole.

Frior to performing a toe lasting operation on a shoe, it is conventional practice to apply steam to the toe of the upper to soften the upper leather and render it pliable. it has been found desirable to apply thermoplastic cement to the insole shortly before the shoe is inserted in the toe lasting machine, as the thermoplastic cements now used are applied in liquid form and tend to harden quickly, so that the wiping must take place soon after the cement has been applied to the insole.

The method of this invention relates to the depositation of the cement on the insole while the upper is being steamed to thereby prepare a shoe for lasting. This is done while a previously prepared shoe is being lasted, and the cement is deposited on the insole concomitantly with the operation of the lasting machine. Preferably, the cement is deposited on the insole at the same time as the wipers of the lasting machine are actuated to perform a wiping operation for the reason that the wiper movement takes place towards the end of the cycle of the lasting machine, and thus the cement is deposited on the insole of a shoe shortly before the shoe is transferred to the lasting machine.

An exemplary apparatus used for practicing the method includes a cement pot having a cement well that holds a quantity of molten cement. Supporting devices are provided on the cement pot to support bottom-down a last having an upper mounted thereon and an insole located on its bottom. An applicating tool is immersed in the cement in the well and is movable upwardly to apply cement to the insole. A steam chamber is positioned above the last and has a cavity that receives the toe portion of the upper. A Water pot is located below the cement pot. The water pot has a water well therein that is heated to convert the water to steam. The steam travels from the water pot through a tube to the steam chamber.

The steam chamber is swingably mounted on the cement pot for movement in a vertical plane and has a hold-down pad on its lower surface. A motor is provided to move the steam chamber downwardly to thereby clamp the last between the supporting devices and holddown pad. A .rotor is provided to move the applicating tool upwardly against the insole and to withdraw it back into the molten cement while the last is clamped. The applicating tool motor is connected in parallel with a motor that drives the wipers of the lasting machine so that the applicating tool is raised and the wipers are moved forwardly to wipe a shoe at the same time, and the applicating tool is lowered and the wipers are retracted at the same time.

In the accompanying drawings:

FIG. 1 is a front elevation of the steamer-applicator; FIG. 2 is a plan view taken along the line 2-2 of PEG 1- 7 FIG. 3 is a side elevation of the steamer-applicator; FIG. 4 is a plan view taken on the line 44 of FIG. 3; FIG. 5 is an elevation in section of the cement pot,

water pot and applicating tool;

FIG. 6 is a detail of the steam chamber taken on the line 6-6 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 7 is a detail of the steam chamber taken on the line 7-7 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 8 is a detail of a gage taken on the line 88 of FIG. 4;

FIG. 9 is a representation of a shoe located in the steamer-applicator;

FIG. 10 is a view of an insole that has had cement deposited thereon; and

FIG. 11 is a diagrammatic representation of a control system.

The device includes a base it) on which is mounted a funnel 12 adapted to contain a supply of water and conduct it by a conduit 14 into a water well 16 located in a water pot 18. The water pot is also located on the base ill. The well 16 includes a plurality of radiator fins 2% (FIG. 5). Three electric heating cartridges 22 are located in holes in the pot 18 beneath the well 15 and are connected to a source of power (not shown). The water pot is made of a heat conductive material such as aluminum and is covered with an aluminum plate 23. A sheet 24 of thermally insulative material such as pressed asbestos is located above the plate 23 and a cement pot 25 is located above the sheet 24-. The cement pct 26 is made of a heat conductive material such as aluminum. Conventional means, such as bolts extending through the cement pot 25, sheet 23 and plate 22 and threaded into the water pot 13, are used to rigidly connect these members.

The cement pot 26 has a cement well 23 located therein. A flange 3%, which is secured to the cement pot 26 by bolts 32, has a hole 34 in communication with the cement pot well 28. A seal 36 is interposed between the cement pot 26 and the flange 39 to provide a liquid-tight connection therebetween. A passage 38 extends upwardly of the hole 34 to the top of the flange 3d and a sleeve 49 is secured, as by welding or brazing, to the projection 3% above the passage 35. A double acting air operated motor 42 is threaded into the sleeve 49. The piston rod 44 of the motor 42 is pivoted to a link as, and the link 46 is pivoted to a lever 48. The lever 48 is fulcrumed to swing about a pin 5% that is secured in the walls of the flange 30.

A hollow post 52 is threaded into the bottom of the cement pct 26 to extend upwardly into the well 28. A spindle 54 is slidably mounted in the post 52 and has a lug 56 extending radially thereof that is slidable a longitudinally extending radial groove 53 in the post 52 and is embraced by the forked end of the lever 43 that is remote from the link 46. A cement applicat-ing tool 69 is secured to the upper end of the spindle 54. The applicating tool has a cement applicating rib 62 that is contoured to the shape of the bottom of a last at the toe. The rib (see FIG. 4) has a pair of sides 64 that converge and meet at an end 66 and is made of a heat conductive material such as brass. A pin es is threaded into the cement pot 26 and extends upwardly of the cement pot, between the rib sides 64 and adjacent the rib end 65.

A plurality of electric heating cartridges 7% are mounted in holes in the cement pct 26 and an electric heating cartridge 72 is mounted in a hole in the flange 3d. The cartridges 7d and 72 are connected to a source of power (not shown) and are controlled by a thermostat '74 mounted in a hole in the cement pot 26.

A cover 76 is secured to the top of the cement pot 26 by fasteners 78. The cover 7:: has an opening so large enough to allow the applicating tool 6% to move therethrough, the opening having converging sides 82, meeting at an end 84 that form a contour similar to the contour of the rib 62. A pair of gage plates 86 are secured to the cover 76 by bolts 87, each gage plate extending along a 3 side 82 and having an upwardly extending gage finger 88 at each of its end (FIGS. 4 and 8). A pair of studs 99 are threaded into the cover 76 rearwardly of the opening 80.

A bracket 92, secured to the cement pot 26, has a double. acting air actuated motor 94 pivoted thereon by a pivot 96 (FIG. 3). The piston rod 98 of the motor 94 is pivoted to an end of a lever 100, and the lever 160 is fulcrumrned to the bracket by a pivot 102. The other end of the lever 100 is secured to a steam chamber 104 that extends above the cover opening 80. The steam. chamber includes a deck 106, made of a heat conductive material such as brass, whose bottom has a concavity 108. and Whose top 110 is convexlyv arched. The deck 106 is substantially semi-circular in section with the lever 106 secured thereto at the midpoint of the circular segment. .An arcu-atechannel 112 is provided within the, deck '106,"-and a plurality of ports 114, extend upwardly of the channel "112 to intersect the top surface 110 of the deck. A cover 116. is secured to the semi-circular edge of the deck 106, and extends upwardly of the deck and over. the deck to form a cavity 118. A hold-down pad 120, made of a flexible material such as leather or Teflon, is secured to and extends downwardly o'fthe deck 106. A flexible tube 122 connects the water well 16 to the conduit 112. A pair of. electric cartridge heaters 124 are mountedinholes in the deck 106 and are connectedto a source ofpower (not shown). i

As aforesaid, the steamer-applicator is intended .to be used with a toe lasting apparatus such as that disclosed in the aforementioned pending. application Serial No. 100,979 filed April 5, 1961. The toe lasting apparatus. comprises wipers 126 (FIG. 11), connected toan air operated motor 128, which are intended to wipe theTlasting margin 130 of an upper 132 mounted on a last134 upon an insole 136 located on the last bottom. A ribbon arcement 138 located in the angle formed between the lasting margin and insole serves to adhesively bond the wiped lasting margin to the insole upon actuationofthe motor. 128 to move the wipers 126.forwardly. across the insole. Preparatory to lasting the shoe, it is desirable that heat and steam be applied to the toe of the upper and to the box toe, if a box toe is secured to the upper, whereby the upper and box toe become .conditioned and softened so that they canbe readily worked during thelasting. Itis preferred that the cement 138 be thermoplastic. The thermoplastic cements now in general useare. deposited on the work in liquid form, becomev tacky and adhere to the work when deposited thereon, and rigidity to a 'nontacky condition in a relatively short time. It therefore becomes highly desirable to last the shoe shortly after the cement has been deposited thereon. The instantinvention performs this function while, at the same time, conditioning the upper and box. toe.

In setting up the steamer-applicator it is placed near the toe lasting machine. A, jug ofwater 140, shown in phantom in FIG. 1, is up-ended into thefunnel 12 and travels through the conduit14 into the water well 16. The water is converted by the heat supplied by the heaters 22 into steam and the steam travels through the tube 122, the channel 112 and the ports 114 into the cavity 118. Thermoplastic cement is. placed in the cement well 28, is melted by the heat supplied by the heaters 70 and 72 and fills up they well28 and thelhole 34 to. the. level shown in FIG. At this time the applicating tool 60 is immersed in the molten cement as indicated by the. solid line position in FIG. 5 and thepiston 98 is retracted'within the motor 94 so that the steam chamber 104 is in an elevated position. A last 134' having an insole 136 secured to its bottom is placed over the cover 76 with the irEole resting on the pin 68 and the studs 90, and the sides of the last engaging the gage fingers 88 as indicated in'FIG. 9 and also in FIG. 4 where the outline of the last is shown in phantom. The last 134 has an upper 132 to that disclosed in application Serial No. 107,156 filed' May 2, 1961. The upper may have a lining 142 (FIG. 9) secured to its toe portion and a box toe 144 may be interposed between the upper and lining. The upper, box toe and lining are supported on the upper surface 110 of the deck 166 without covering the ports 114, as shown in FIG. 9 and also shown in phantom in FIG. 6. The motor 94 is now actuated to lower the steam chamber 164 until the hold-down pad 12% engages the last to clamp the last and insole against the support pin 63 and the support studs 9band thus hold the last and insole against movement. The combination of the steam emanating from theports 114 and swirling about the upper 132 due to itsconfinement within the cavity 118- by the coverlifi and the heat conducted against the box toe 144 and the upper 132 from the heated deck 106- serves to condition the upper and box toe. The upper leather isconditioned primarily bythe action of the steam thereon while the box toe is conditioned primarily by the heat conducted thereagainst from the heated deck 106. The

. heaternanating from the deck 106 also serves to superheat the steam in the steam chamber 104 and prevent the condensation thereof." Shortly before the shoe is to be removed from the steamer-applicator and placed in the toe lasting machine, the motor 42 is actuated to cause the applicating tool 60 to rise from its immersed position in the well of cement, indicated in solid lines in FIG. 5, to the dotted line position of FIG. 5. In so rising, the rib 64 carries a ribbon of cement upwardly against the insole. This is followed by an actuation of the motor 42 to return the applicating tool to its immersed position leaving the ribbon of cement 138 deposited on the insole 136- as indicated in FIG. 10. The motor 94 is now actuated to release the shoe and the shoe is brought to the toe lasting machine.

The control system shown in FIG. 11 may be used to operate the steamer-applicator. The system includes a line 146 emanating froma source of air pressure (not shown). A line 148 extends from the line 146, to a manually actuated .4 way valve 150, and lines 152 and 154 extend from the valve to the motor 94. A line 156 extends from the line 146 to a solenoid controlled 3 way va1ve 158 and lines 160 and 162 extend from the valve 158 to one end of the motors 42 and 128. A line 164 extends from theline 146 to a solenoid controlled?! way valve 166 and lines 168 and 170 extend from the valve 166 to the other ends of the motors 42 and 128.

Assuming that a first shoe that has had its upper steamed and has had cement applied to its insole by the steamer-applicator has been removed from thesteamerapplicator and has been placed in the toe lasting machine, a second shoe is now taken off a supply rack and placed in the steamer-applicator and the valve 150 is manually actuated to cause air to gothrough the line 152 into the motor 94 to causethe hol d down pad 120 to press the last and insole against the support members 68 and 90. The operator then causes the toe lasting machine to go through its cycle which includes the actuation of the valve 158 to cause the motor 128 to move the wipers 126 forwardly and -wipe the lasting margin of the upper upon the insole, at which time the valve 166 is in venting position, followed by a movement ofthe valve 158 to venting position and an actuation of the. valve 16610 cause the motor 123 to retract the Wipers. When the wipers are caused to move forwardly, the motor 42 is actuated to raise the applicating tool 69 against the insole. When the wipers are retracted the motor 42 is actuated to lower the applicating tool and thereby leave a ribbon of cement on the insole. At the completion of the operation of the toe lasting machine, the first shoe is placed on a delivery rack, the manually actuated valve 159 is actuated to raise hold-down pad 120 away from the last, the second shoe is removed from the steamerapplicator and is placed in the toe lasting machine and a third shoe is taken from the supply rack and placed in the steamer-applicator.

It should be understood that the present disclosure is for the purpose of illustration only and that this invention includes all modifications and equivalents which fall within the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A method of preparing a shoe for a lasting operation that includes wiping a portion of the lasting margin of an upper against a corresponding portion of an insole and adhesively uniting said lasting margin and insole portions comprising the steps of: providing a last having the up per mounted thereon and the insole located on its bottom; applying steam to said portion of the upper; and depositing cement on said portion of the insole during the application of the steam.

2. A method of preparing a shoe for a lasting operation that includes wiping a portion of the lasting margin of an upper against a corresponding portion of an insole and adhesively uniting said lasting margin and insole portions comprising the steps of: providing a last having the upper mounted thereon and the insole located on its bottom; applying steam to said portion of the upper; clamping the last against movement during the application of the steam; and depositing cement on said portion of the insole while the last is clamped and the steam is being applied.

3. A method of preparing a shoe for a lasting operation and of lasting the shoe, wherein said lasting operation includes wiping a portion of the lasting margin of a shoe upper mounted on a last against a corresponding portion of a shoe insole located on the last bottom and adhesively uniting said lasting margin and insole portions, comprising the steps of: performing the lasting operation on a first shoe that has been prepared by the application of steam to its said upper portion and the depositation of cement on its said insole portion; providing a second shoe that includes an upper mounted on a last and an insole located on the last bottom; applying steam to the said portion of the upper of the second shoe; and depositing cement on the said portion of the insole of the second shoe during the application of the steam to the said upper portion of the second shoe and during the performance of the lasting operation on the first shoe.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,223,844 Cordeau Dec. 3, 1940 2,235,887 Kamborian' Mar. 25, 1941 2,420,665 Jorgensen May 20, 1947 2,615,186 Birch Oct. 28, 1952 

1. A METHOD OF PREPARING A SHOE FOR A LASTING OPERATION THAT INCLUDES WIPING A PORTION OF THE LASTING MARGIN OF AN UPPER AGAINST A CORRESPONDING PORTION OF AN INSOLE AND ADHESIVELY UNITING SAID LASTING MARGIN AND INSOLE PORTIONS COMPRISING THE STEPS OF: PROVIDING A LAST HAVING THE UPPER MOUNTED THEREON AND THE INSOLE LOCATED ON ITS BOTTOM; APPLYING STEAM TO SAID PORTION OF THE UPPER; AND DEPOSITING CEMENT ON SAID PORTION OF THE INSOLE DURING THE APPLICATION OF THE STEAM. 